Handle escutcheon



G51.. KEMPER HANDLE ESCUTCHEON Filed sept. 10,1954

Jan. 14, 193e.

'i lNvENToR Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a corporation of Ohio Application September 10, 1934, Serial No. 743,368

2 Claims.

` This invention relates to improvements in handle xtures primarily for use upon burial caskets,

and particularly to the structure of the plate or bracket whichv carries the handle bar, and to provide therefore the means for attachment. A `present method is to form the plate from sheet metal `as a single stamping of a size to accommodate for a pair of handle bar supporting arms. To give the plate the necessary stability, it is required to use a gauge of sheet metal which does not, however, possessthe ductility for producing highly orname'ntative` designs by sharply dened and bold embossing as would be possible in light gauge metal. Therefore, the plate is generally of conventional design practically free from embellishment except, possibly, that'of its outline, relying principally upon the embossment instituted for mechanical purposes for any esthetic effect that may be derived therefrom.

The working of heavy sheet metal requires more expensive dies and therefore frequent changes in design correspondingly with the changes in the design of the casket are not made. This has resulted in more or less standardizing the design of handle plate which, however, does not `present itself favorably to all ornamental designs of caskets, nor does the single plate type as .constructed having a pair of handle bar supporting arms provide for making any adjustment or change in the spacing of the arms.

The present invention provides an individual plate for each handle bar supporting arm which can be installed in pairs at various spacings apart and joined by an intermediate plate separably connected therewith, the intermediate plate furnishing the embellishment, being provided solely for ornamentation, can be made of any thin ductile metal or other material most adaptable for producing a particular design, at a minimum cost, and'it can be easily pressed into shape by very inexpensive dies so that changes in design can be readily made individual to each design of casket or for cach individual order.

The' parts, preferably, are of a construction having an interlocking connection and readily separable for conveniently interchanging from one design to another. IThe plate structure which serves to sustain the load is of minimum size and of` conventional design'which works harmoniously with practically any design of intermediate plate set between a pair of plates.` Therefore,` the parts that bear the `loadcan bemade of a suitable heavy gauge of metal while the ornamental parts or adornment Vtherefore of a very thin gauge of metal and the plate spaced apart to accommodate for various styles or lengths of handle bars.

An object of the invention is to provide an individual supporting plate for each arm of a handle and joining a pair of plates with an inter- 5 mediate plate or adornment plate disposed inter-Y mediateof the supporting plates and separably jointed therewith for conveniently interchanging an escutcheon of one design for that of another to modify the design of fixture.

Another object of the invention is to form the intermediate plate or adornment plate of a thin ductile sheet or other material for inexpensively producing plates of highly ornamentative design sharp in detail.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in a description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a casket containing the improved handle fixtures in the plural number, each constituting a pair of handle bar i arm supporting plates joined by an intermediate plate, a pair of arms, each respectively hinged to a plate, and a handle bar carried by the arms.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan View of the handle fixture as applied for use.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the intermediate plate.

Referring to the drawing, l indicates a stamped sheet metal plate of inverted dished or 4marginally flanged form to give elevation and stability, and approximately of rectangular outline, although its configuration may be modified, the essential characteristic being in providing a stamped sheet metal plate of minimum dimension for supporting asingle handle bar carrying arm. The bracket plate centrally is embossed or raised as lat 2 providing an oppositely inclined or curved ,40 upper face which is slotted to provide an opening for the reception of the inner end of a handle carrying arm 3. 'I'he slotting accommodates the formation of a pair of oppositely disposed inturned ears 4 integral with the plate to which the arm 3 is pivoted. y

The arm 3 is also formed of sheet metal and preferably of channel form in cross section, with the opposite side flangesor limbs at the inner end of the arm shaped to provide ears 5 for piv- V otally connecting the arm to the plate, a pin 6 making the pivotal connection. The upper side of the armV toward its hinge end is offset to provide a shoulder 1 engaging the upper edge of the slot and limiting the upward swing of the arm.55

The forward end of the arm 3 is bent to form an eye 8 for embracing a handle bar 9 held therein against longitudinal displacement by a set screw IG. Thehandle bar is shown as of square and tubular form although its design of cross sec- Y tional contour is optional.

The handle bar may be of any desired length Y and take in any number of arms, each arm howinexpensive dies or molds.

The ang'e at each of the opposite sides of the intermediate plate is crimped outwardly and forwardly providing a U bend or upturned lip l2,- forming a channel into which a side flange of a bracket plate is engaged for detachably connecting the intermediate plate which thus forms an ornamental spacer for a pair of bracket plates.

'I'he bracket plates and intermediate plate are preferably of a relative outline for intertting the sameand Yholding the escutcheon against longitudinal displacement, and it is therebyY held in place Without the use of ancillary fastening means. 'I'his permits the intermediate plate to be readily replaced for another of different design or different dimension for changing the spacing of the parallel bracket plates. The bracket plates, as shown, are secured in place each by a pair of screws or bolts I3 following a common practice.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An escutcheon for a handle, comprising, a pair of sheet metal bracket plates, each plate having a flange extending from its underside providing a marginal rim to give the plate elevation and stability, each bracket plate adapted for individually supporting a handle bar carrying arm, and a sheet metal plate providing a spacer for said bracket plates and having means for separably interlocking with a side iiange of each of said bracket plates.

2. An escutcheon for a handle, comprising, a, pair of sheet metal bracket plates, each plate constituting an embossed stamping having side ilangesY to give the same elevation and stability, and each adapted for individually supporting a handle bar carrying arm, and a sheet metal plate providing a spacer for said bracket plates having a reverse flange respectively at each of its opposite sides, each for a nesting engagement with a relative side flange of a bracket plate for separably connecting'said bracket plates with said sheet metal plate.

GILBERT L. KEMPER. 

